Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la, la la la la!

       A few years ago I started college, and began shaping my life towards what it is today. I met many new people, and was fortunate to take from them a few very good friends. Many of us ended up working together at the student event coordination office at the school. Even our supervisor, Jen-Tay, became a close friend, as she was not much older than any of us. Around Christmas time, Jen-Tay wanted to have a fun little get together for all of the guys and girls at the office. It was supposed to just be a chance for us to unwind, eat some great holiday food, and spend time together outside of our work environment.

       Time passed, and many of us moved on to other schools, other jobs, or just focused more on studying. Our little band might have seemed broken up, but we still met the next holiday season for another party. Then we did it again the next year... And again... You get the idea. Anyway, what started as a one-time party at Jen-Tay's house has become a Christmas tradition where we all come back together. Though the lineup of guests has had its few changes over the years, things have been mostly consistent. Just last night we met up, yet again, and had a BLAST! This annual tradition is always something I look forward to, as I can see some of my favorite girlfriends, and sip drinks while we tell old stories about our days planning events or going on trips. I hope y'all are having a great holiday season filled with your own traditions and fun pastimes!

 

 

Beauty Tip Tuesday: How to Heal Chapped Lips

I can't even begin to tell you how much I hate chapped lips; the thought of it alone makes me cringe (okay, maybe I'm a tad dramatic). Since winter is right around the corner, I want to start doing my best to prevent frequently chapped lips. With the dry, chilly weather and the common cold floating in the air, I had to find a way to keep my lips looking fresh and smooth. I've discovered three affordable products recently, and let me tell you this triple combo makes a huge difference. First and foremost, I use a lip exfoliator by E.L.F every night (right after I brush my teeth) to remove any dry skin from my lips. Then I use my favorite mango-flavored lip balm by Jack Black to leave my lips feeling baby soft. Lastly, to add some color to my lips (I use this product mainly for when I'm heading out), I use L'oreal Balm. It even adds a nice coat of gloss for a standout look. There you have it... Three of my must-have lip products for this blistery cold season. I hope y'all are having a wonderful week :)

One Busy Life

It has been a hectic 2 weeks for me... Literally! Life got in the way of my blogging time causing me to become a little "blog lazy" (I dislike saying that). Any who I've been studying like crazy and drinking tons of coffee like crazy as well. All that coffee drinking has definitely taken its toll on my skin. If you follow me on Instagram you'd know that I've become an avid customer at a local spa for facial treatments. What once was a monthly visit to the spa has become a bi-weekly visit, but who could complain. I've noticed some breakouts especially on my T-zone area and slight discoloration around my eyes... dark circles from all the sleepless nights eeek! My wonderful esthetician, Marilyn, saved me skin from getting worst. She's the best in town! 

Besides all of that being said something good has happened in my life... I got my dream job! I start in less than a week. I can't tell y'all how happy I was and still am when I received the phone call  from my now boss saying I got the job! I want to write a  little blog post about it so I don't want to spoil it. So stay tuned :)

Other than all of that being said, my Monday started off pretty good. I drank my cup of green tea on my way to class while being all bundled up for the cold weather (it's finally here in Georgia). I hope y'all are having a wonderful week and I hope to get back to my blogging schedule soon. 

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Friday Favorites

• Fall Boots

I have been obsessed with my new brown boots that I recently bought at Target. I just fell in love with the rich brown color. It goes well with most of my fall styles and outfits. Plus, the added gold embellishments make them appear more expensive than they really were. They were only $40, and the quality of the boots is absolutely superb!

 



 

• Pumpkin Spice with an Artistic Twist

After my classes for the day ended, I quickly jumped over to my favorite coffee shop right in the heart of the city. The place is called "Octane," and a must-visit for all of the coffee lovers out there who find themselves in Atlanta. The coffee not only tastes delcious, but it also looks beautiful. A little twist they add, which you may have seen something similar online or elsewhere, is that they draw in your cup of coffee using the foamy top layer. Recently, it seems, I've been drinking nothing but Pumpkin Spice. Of course I have, as there is no better way to welcome fall!

 

 

 

•  Mango Manifest

Another drink I've been hooked on, especially after a a successful gym sesh, is MangoFest by Smoothie King. I'm a huge sucker for anything mango, delicious and healthy. It's just a cup full of yummy goodness!

 

 

• Artist of the Week:

ZZ Ward is fantastic. I heard her on Pandora for the first time this week, and fell in love with her catchy rhythms!

TBT: You, Me & A Cup of Tea

It's TBT! Almost a year ago, my beautiful friend, Fatima, took me to a cute little place in Atlanta to have a cup of tea. It was not just your average meet up; it was a tea party! I really enjoyed my time at Dr. Bombay's Underwater Tea Party it kind of made me feel like I was in "Alice in Wonderland". The best part of my tea party adventure was spending some time with Fatima. We sipped tea for hours and munched on some yummy treats too. This place is magical and if you're a tea lover you should totally take the time to visit this place.

Catoura's Closet: Black Blazer

I'm excited to announce that I'm adding a new edition to my blog called "Catoura's Closet." Every Wednesday I'll be posting items that are from my closet, or trends that I see in the fashion world, that are must-haves. Of course, these must-haves will include closet classics as well. This week's first piece is a fitted black blazer; it's a simple clothing piece that every girl should have in her closet. You can wear it to work, for an afternoon of shopping, or on an evening date-night. I love wearing it with a pair of classy blue jeans, a button up top, and my riding boots; this gives it a more casual, chic look. I purchased my black blazer from J. Crew, and the high-quality of the piece will definitely last me for years to come. I tend to get many of my blazers fitted or altered to give them a more polished look; stay away from loose, baggy, or frumpy blazers. A black blazer is a must, and you'll see how well you can pair it with just about any look this season!

New Ways To Wear A Scarf

The other day, I Instagramed a photo of myself wearing one of my many scarves (I have a slight addiction that starts up every fall). I wanted to try something a little different to add some flair to the typical scarf look, so I searched on Pinterest for different ways to tie a one. There are literally hundreds of ways you tie a simple scarf! My favorite style (as seen in my Instagram picture) is what I call the "infinity knot." The directions on how to get this beautiful look are shown below, along with a couple of other options. Thank you Pinterest! Happy Tuesday everyone, and I hope you enjoy some new ways to rock those scarves while the weather cools down!!!